


Equals Infinity

by mazabm



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-09 08:28:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6898483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mazabm/pseuds/mazabm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garnet, Steven, and the Cluster</p>
            </blockquote>





	Equals Infinity

Here is the thing about fusion.

It is not simple.

It is not simply one plus one equals two. It is one or two or three equals infinity. 

She cannot explain that feeling to the cluster. You would think they, she, the cluster would understand it best. They are a forced fusion of over a billion souls and sitting in their existence as Steven grips her hand is something she thinks she hates. It is not like a regular bubble because even in the bubble the Cluster is very much active.

“They’re trying.” Steven tells her. “They’re trying to become something.

“They are still trying to form.” Garnet says and her tone must scare him because he shakes his head with too much force.

“They’re trying to find who they are but it hurts.” He looks to her hopeful for something. “You could talk to them if you want.” And no, she thinks, three voices inside her agreeing, no that is not what she wants. But Steven looks so hopeful that she allows herself to be pulled to the center of the earth. (Peridot built a little headquarters of operation down there. “We have to be able to watch them. We cannot all be as trusting as Steven” But everyone can see her trying to be.)

The large pink bubble of the Cluster reminds her of Rose. Steven, she has to remind herself sometimes is Rose. He sits on it, it is a very solid bubble, and his gem is glowing pink and sometimes she thinks she can see the outline of Rose over him in all her glory.

“Now they’re still trying to figure themselves out so it is a lot of voices but they can become something concrete and you just have to focus or it can hurt.” Steven, her little boy, sounds so sure of himself and Garnet takes his hand and tries not to grip too hard. If Pearl were here she would be crying but the other Gems stayed behind understanding Steven needed this space with her.

“You have not attempted this with anyone else have you?” She asks. Rose had lots of abilities that she never shared. Rose had lots of secrets she never shared. Steven on the other hand tells them all and everything he can do does not always equal to what Rose did.

“Nope.” Steven says and Garnet matches his small smile with one of her own. “Here goes nothing.” He says and falls asleep so easily still gripping her hand and Garnet is quick to follow him shifting into a deep meditation focusing on the steady feeling of Steven in her hand.

The first breath inside the existence of thee Cluster is overwhelming. Garnet cannot breathe.

“Garnet.” It is too much. They recognize her.

“Garnet.” It’s flickering, black, white, she can feel them.

“Garnet.” How did Steven do this?

“The Fusion!” A chorus of voices yell. “Form.” Another group yells.

“No!” She and Steven yell together and where her voice is filled with grief, fear, a multitude of emotions, Steven’s voice is strong and calming and both the Cluster and Garnet take comfort in him.

“Hi Cluster!” Steven says and when Garnet opens her eyes and gazes at him, he is smiling with tears in his eyes and Garnet’s heart breaks and she is also filled with rage. Rage at the Diamond authority for doing this to all of them. “I brought Garnet with me. She is a Crystal Gem. She’s like you.” And the way the Cluster lights up and the cacophony of voices tell Garnet and Steven that not everyone agrees with that statement. When Steven turns his eyes to her in confusion, she hasn’t the heart to tell him that even in the rebellion she was an outlier; that the shards of all these gems could be her friends, they could be her enemies, they could be allies who still looked upon her as a fusion and hated everything she stood for. Sapphire and Ruby, her two halves are not conflicting right now, horror, grief fills them both but her very existence, their connection is built from their love and she holds that feeling in her heart and tries to push it outward into the billion, poor, shattered souls. Steven feels it and she can feel his entire body mold to her in a hug.

“You are going to be a fusion.” Garnet tells the Cluster. “A unique, different type of fusion just like me.”  
They flicker the black embodiment looking like the universe becoming white.

“Fusion.” The Cluster answers before fading to black.

“You have to accept that this is who you are now if you ever want to feel something other than this gripping pain, this confusion, you have to accept that.” Muttering meets her. “You were forced into this against your will so I cannot tell you to love this. I will never tell you to try to love this, to love your prison, this entrapment of your very souls. I can tell you with my whole heart that the gems that did this to you will pay. We will make them pay.” And when the Cluster lights up white she feels hope.

“Garnet.”

“I love you.” She says, no she yells. “I will try to help you with all that I am.” A fusion. Love.

Steven is hugging her so tight and she feels tears drip from her eyes, all three and the cluster fades to black.  
Sitting on the bubble afterward, looking into what looks just like a bunch of sparkling gems forced together, she can still feel the hum of all those souls in her gems. Steven clutches at her and she is clutching him.

“We’re going to help them.” Garnet says. “Anything that we can do, we will help them. Ok Steven?” And the shock of the intensity of her voice after being in that bubble just makes him clutch her tighter. Her strong little boy. “We will never give up on them. Never.” She fiercely swears.

“Yes.” Steven agrees and she hears Rose for just a millisecond. “Never give up.”

Deep in her heart, the love that makes her so strong breaks off just a little bit and hatred for the Diamond Authority grows and now 5000 years in existence there is nothing in Garnet, no Sapphire, no Ruby, and no Rose to stop it from growing.

**Author's Note:**

> So I don't know if Garnet would ever meet the Cluster but considering her reaction to the small cluster gems meeting the large one would make her very emotional. Also Steven is very powerful. It is a little scary.


End file.
